Quick-acting-switch mechanism



Dec: 9, 1924.

R. PENN QUICK ACTING SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 10, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH PENN, or DES memes, IOWA.

QUICK-ACTING-SWITCH MECHANISM.

Application filed. December 10, 1923. Serial No. 679,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH PENN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, haveinvented a certain new and useful Quick-Acting-Switch Mechanism, ofwhich the following. is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a quick acting switch mechanismwherein an electric circuitmay be quickly broken for preventing arcingof the contact points of the switch.

Still a further object is to provide a structure for operating a switchin such a manner that the moving parts of the structure will neverbecome centered, but will be carried from the closed position to theopen position very quickly and so as to insure the switch 7 elements tobe quickly opened for reducing arcing to a minimum where there will beno damage.

Still a further object is to provide a loose connection between parts ofthe device and a spring for moving some of the parts independently ofand relative to the other. parts of the device.

'Still a further object is to provide a switch structure wherein theactuating mechanism for moving the switch elements is moved by threedistinct moving factors, so that the actuating mechanism is initiallymoved against the tension of a spring towards dead center position, thenmeans is provided for moving it over dead center and then the actuatingmechanism is moved by the tension spring to one limit ofits movement.

Still a further-object is to provide guide and stop pins on the switchelements.

With these and other objects in view, my

' invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby theobjects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of my quick acting. switch mechanism shownin a casing with the cover thereof removed Figure 2 is a'sectional viewtaken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a 'diagrammatic vjew of the quick acting mechanism showingthe .parts in position where the contact elements are in engagement.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the quick actingmechanism just before the contacts are opened, the dotted line positionshowing the movement of the parts caused by the loose connection andspring which insures against the parts remalning in a dead centerposition.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate generally a casing which may be fixed to a bracket or support11 so thatit can be secured upon any suitable support orbracket. Thecasing 10 is provided with a boss 12 in which is mounted a pin 13.

' Pivotally mounted upon the pin 13 is a lever 14. The lever 14 isformed of a single piece of material which is bent upon itself so thatthere is formed two parallel parts. One of the parallel parts of thelever 14 projects beyond the casing 10, through an opening 15 formed inone of the walls thereof. The other end of the lever 14 may be providedwitha loop 16 so that it may be connected to a float structure of theordinary type. r v

The lever 14 is free to move up and down within the opening 15. Thelever 14 is shownin its down position'in Figure 1 of Contact members 19are secured to the block 18 by means of the screws 20. There are twosets of contact members 19 on each side of the block 18 and wires 21lead from the source of current supply to one set of contact points 19.

Wires 22 lead from the other set of contact points '19 to'a motor (notshown) or the like.- 9

In order to complete the circuit, it is necessary to connect the twosets of contact points 19 together and in order to do so, I.

provide resilientplate contacts 23.

Each set of contact plates 23 are mounted upon a block 24 of insglatingmaterial. vAfpairTfcoTnbified guide and stop pins '25 are mounted uponthe blocks 24 and are designed to project into openings 26 formed plates23.

in the block 18. The combined guide and stop pins are formed with ashoulder 27, which strikes against the block 18 and limits the upwardmovement of the contact A stop the casing 10 and is designed to be engaby the lower ends of the block 24 for 11miting the down movementthereof.

Actuating mechanism.

The lower ends'of the block 24 have a yoke member 29 extendedtherebetween. The yoke member 29 is secured to the blocks 24 by means ofa pivot 30. The two ends of the yoke member 29 are each provided withregistering openings for permitting a pin31 to extend therethrough,which is formed on a boss 32. The boss 32 is formed on one wall of thecasing 10.

The end of the yoke member 129 which is received between the two blocks24, is spaced apart somewhat so as to receive the arm 33 therebetween.'The arm 33 is pivotally supported between the parts of the arm 29 nearthe pivot 30.- The arm 33 has its end notched so as to abut against thepin 30 secured to the arm 29.

The yoke member 34 is also pivoted upon the pin 31, and is receivedbetween the spaced parts of the yoke member 29.

The arm 33 has extended around it a coil compression spring 44 whichrests against a washer 33 placed on the arm 33 and against a saddlemember 45 positioned over theend of the arm 33. r

The saddle member 45 is provided with an opening through which one endof the arm 33 extends. The yoke member 34 has each of its ends providedwith V-shaped notches 46 to receive the trunnions 47 formed on thesaddle member 45, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

From the construction of the parts just described it will be seen thatthe arm 33 and yoke 34 are pivotally and slidably connected together.

The coil spring 44 holds the trunnions properly positioned within thenotches 46, and it is this spring that becomes tensioned as theactuating mechanism is initially oper-. ated. The spring 44 causes theactuating mechanism to be moved to one limit of its Means for impartingto the actuating mechanz'sm movement for carrying the sameooerqleadmenter position.

A link 35 is' pivotally connected to-the yoke member 34 near theconnected end pin 28 is formed on one wall of ments will make a contact.

thereof by means of a pin 36. The link 35 is provided withas1ot'37through which is extended a pin 38 to the parallel parts of the lever14. v

The lever 14 is provided with a downwardly extending'part 39 so as toreceive a pin 40. A tension spring41 is connected to the pin 40 at 'oneend and to the link' 35.

at its other end.

The spring 41 tends to normally draw the link 35 downwardly. The slot orloose connection between the link 35 and the lever 14 as well as thespring 41 are the means for moving the actuating mechanism over deadcenter position.

Practical operation. I

The lever 14 which actuates the switch elements may/be operated by anysuitable float structure or diaphragm structure or by hand. i Y

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings,the switch ele- As the lever 14 moves in the direction indicated by-thearrow 49, it will cause the link 35 to move in the same direction.

The link 35 will cause the yoke member 34 to swing on the pivot 31 andmove in the direction indicated by the arrow 50. As the yoke member 34moves in the direction indicated by the arrow 50, it will cause the arm33 carrying the coil spring 44 and the saddle 45 to be swung on thepivot 30' in the direction indicated by the arrow 51. i

The coil spring will become moreclosely compressed and tensioned betweenthe shoulder formed on the arm 33 and the saddle 45 as the arm 33 andtheyoke 34 are swung towards ,a dead center position or where the same are"in substantial alignment. The pressure of the coil spring 44 w ll holdthe switch contact plates 23 and the blocks 24 in raised position, asshown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The moving of the lever 14, pulls the link 35 downwardly, and will raisethe arms 33 and 34 to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 4 ofthe drawings. This particular position may be pro rly described as theposition the partsawil assume just before ings, then the spring 41 atthe lower end of six the link 35 will operate for jerking the linkconnection downwardly carrying the parts to position shown in dotted liS in Figure soon as the small spring 41 has carried the parts to theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, then the spring 44, which.is under tension, will function for continuing to remove the partssuddenly to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings where the,contact plates 23 will be disen-' gaged from the contacts 19.

The movement just referred to is the third distinct movement given tothe actuating mechanism. This movement takes place in addition 'to the.two movements caused by the lever 14 and the spring 41 and operatesindependently thereof.

The small spring 41' and the loose or slot connection between the links35 and'the lever 14 prevents the arms 33 and the yoke member 34 frombecoming centered where the tension for holding the contact plates 23against the contact points 19 would be practically zero.

The contact plates 23 will be held firmly in engagement until the platesassume the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, at which time thesmall spring 41 will function, carrying the parts pas? center at whichtime the spring 44 will complete the movement of the parts to theposition shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The breaking of the circuit quickly reduces to a minimum any possiblearcing of the contact points.

When the lever 14 moves upwardly, the arms 33 and 34 are moveddownwardly until they have reached the position shown by the solid linesin Figure 4 at which point the pressure of the spri 44 is strong enoughto cause spring 41, attached to link 35, to be extended the amountpermitted by slot 37 Contact plates 23 will then be forced upwardly intocontact with plates 19, thereby closing the switch and re-establish ingthe circuit and bring the parts back to position where "the quick actionmay again take place in the opening circuit.

It may be mentioned that the parts will never assume and remain in theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 4,v when moving to openposition of the switch, but it is intended to show what movement iscaused by the spring and loose connection between the lever 14 .and thelink 35 as well as to show the three movements given to the;actuatingmechanism for operating the movable contact members.

Some changes may be made in'the construction and arrangement of thevarious parts of my invention, without departing from the real spiritand purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by myclaims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1: In a switch structure, a fixed contact member, a movable contactmember, an actuating mechanism for operating said mov able contactmember including a spring adapted to be tensioned when the actuatingmechanism is operated, an operating member, means for operativelyconnecting the operating member and said actuating mecha nism, saidmeans including a link fixed'to the actuating mechanism at one end andloosely fixed to the operating member at its other end and a spring forjerking the I link to one limit of its movement when the tension on thespring of the actuating mechanism is about to reach its limit oftension.

e 2. In a switch structure, a fixed contact member, a movable contactmember, an actuating mechanism for operating said movable contact memberincluding a spring adapted to be tensioned when the actuating mechanismis operated, an-operating membeer for said actuating mechanism, meansfor operatively connecting the actuatin mechanism and said operatingmember, "sai last means including a lost motion connection and a springfor imparting movement to the actuating mechanism independent of theinovement imparted by the operating memer. I

3. In a switch structure, a fixed contact member, a movable contactmember, an actuating mechanism for operating said movable contactmember, said actuating mechanism including a air of arms pivotally.mounted and'slidab y connected together, a spring on one of said armsadapted to be tensioned when the arms are moved from one position toanother, means for moving the arms against the action of the spring,

means for moving the arms independent of the .firstmeans for carryingthe arms over center, said spring moving the arms to one limit of theirmovement after said last means has functioned.

4. In a switch structure, a fixed contact, a movable contact, anactuating mechanism for the movable contact including a pair of armspivotally supported and having apivota and sliding connection, a springadapted to be tensionedby the pivotal movement of said arms towardcenter, a movable element for imparting pivotal movement to said arms,and means for'acceler: ating said movement independently of said Ielement for moving the arms over center,

said spring serving to move the arms to the limit of their movementafter the last means has functioned.

position, means for imparting to the actuating mechanism acceleratedmovement over dead center position, independently of the movementimparted by said first means and means for imparting to the actuatingmechanism an additional movement beyond dead center independently of thetwo last described movements. k

6. In a switch structure, a fixed contact member, a movable contactmember, an actuating mechanism for operating said movable contactmember, said actuating mechanism including a pair of arms pivotallymounted and. slidably connected together, a yoke member pivotal yconnected at one end to one of said arms and to said movable contactmembers and pivotally supported at its other end, a guide pin on saidmovable contact member, means for limiting the movement of the .movablecontact member in either direction, a springon .one of said arms adaptedto be tensioned when the arms are moved from one position to an other,means for moving the arms against moving the arms to one limit oftheirmove ment after said last means has functioned.

7. In a switch structure, a fixed contact member, a movable contactmember, an actuating mechanism for operating said movable contactmember, said actuating mechanism including a pair of arms pivotallymounted and slidabl connected together, a yoke member pivotall to one ofsaid arms and to said movable contact member and pivotally supported atits other end, a guide and stop pin on said movable contact member andadapted to coact with the fixed contact member, a spring on one of saidarms adapted to be tensioned when the arms are movedfrom one position toanother, means for moving the arms against the action of the spring,means for moving the arms independent of the first means for carryingthe arms over center, said springmoving the arms to one limit of theirmovement after said last means has functioned.

Des Moines, Iowa, October 18, 1923,

RALPH PENN.

y connected at one end

